Forum on Family Separation in Southwest Ohio

The nation was gripped by the news coverage of children being separated from their families at the US border in South Texas. But here in Southwest Ohio, parents are also being separated from their children. Community Shares of Greater Cincinnati and Transformations CDC, a ministry of the Church of Our Saviour/La Iglesia de Nuestro Salvador, present a forum for those who have felt frustrated and upset, to offer opportunities for local, direct action to help our neighbors.

The community is invited to come listen to the impacts of family separation on local families, hear from local experts about the activities of ICE and detention centers right here in our backyard, and learn how about opportunities for direct social action to help parents and children experiencing separation.

WHO: Anyone who is concerned about family separation as a result of national immigration policy

WHEN: Thursday June 28, 2018 7:00PM-8:30PM

WHERE: Community Shares of Greater Cincinnati offices at 315 W. Court Street, Cincinnati, OH 45202 (Located in the Cincinnati Fire Museum. Enter from the East side of the building, take elevator to 2nd Floor)

WHAT: Attendees will hear from several speakers on how national immigration policy is affecting local families in Southwest Ohio. Opportunities to link into local, direct social action will be provided.

PROGRAM: Nancy Sullivan, Director of Transformations CDC and member of the Church of Our Saviour/La Iglesia de Nuestro Salvador, will report out on local detention center and ICE, Sarah Madrigal de Fernandez, a bilingual therapist who works with unaccompanied minors in Cincinnati Public Schools will speak on the effects of separation trauma on children, attorney Jorge Martinez will speak on his experience volunteering at the Dilley Family Detention Center in Texas, Joe Yoshimura, a retired teacher from Walnut Hills High School will share his story of his family’s experience of living in a Japanese internment camp, and finally Rev. Charles Graves IV, Church of the Advent, and Lesse Trindle, founder of Feminactivist and the Girls Are Alright Podcast will share strategies to connect in to local direct action. A part of the evening will include a personal story from an asylum seeker from Central America, also a member of the Church of Our Saviour/La Iglesia de Nuestro Salvador, who will explain why he fled his country, and his experience with ICE locally. During this portion of the evening guests will be asked to not record or take photos.

Free and open to the public, we encourage you to RSVP to info@cintishares.org so we can have an accurate guest count. Refreshments local to Central America will be provided.